Phase Change Materials (PCM) oscillate between solid and liquid phase within a certain temperature range (Mansfield). When the environment’s temperature is higher than that of the PCM, heat transfers from the surroundings to the material, which creates a cooling effect and changes PCM’s state from solid to liquid. When the environment’s temperature is lower than that of the PCM, heat transfers from the PCM to the surroundings, generating a warming effect and PCM changes back to its solid state.

PCM-Applications

Monday, August 22, 2011

enCORE from OSU will exhibit at Solar Decathlon 2011a unique ability to store heat generated from the solar thermal hot air collectors for extended periods of time. The structures uses a thermal battery which stores 30 hours of hot air at 86 degrees F. The thermal battery is designed using savEnrg™ Phase Change Material (PCM-29P) panels. savEnrg™ Phase Change Materials (PCM) are inorganic salt hydrates with negligible super cooling and sharp phase temperatures that have a capacity to store large amounts of energy as latent heat during their process of phase change. Phase Change Materials are non-toxic, non-combustible and made out of 100% natural, eco-friendly products.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Researchers at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China ( UNNC) have developed a new PCM for room climate control that could be applied on wallpaper. This phase change material (PCM) retains and releases heat according to the specific temperature requirements for a building. The researchers claim large thermal energy storage capacity with fast thermal transfer properties than existing materials.